Physics Lesson
by Infinitys-End
Summary: To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction... Twinfic


Disclaimer:  I do not own Tolkien's work – any recognizable characters, scenes, or ideas are his.  I am just playing with them for a while, and will return them when I am done.

Physics Lesson

"Give me your hand, Elladan." A deceptively calm voice ordered.  Elrohir, the owner of that voice, lay sprawled at the edge of a narrow crevasse, his head and shoulders disappearing into the dark hole.  He had tethered himself to a nearby boulder with the reins of his horse, a graceful grey stallion that grazed nearby, looking very unconcerned over his master's plight.  There was no other living thing on the golden grassy plains of Eregion for miles, save birds, which did not care for the trial happening far below them.  The hot summer sun beat down on the supine half-elf and on the rock below him, making him very uncomfortable very quickly.  His booted feet dug into the chalky soil as he tugged against his restraint.

"Easy for you to say.  Any sign of those orcs?" Elladan replied irritably.  The twin brothers had been forced to flee from the last band of orcs they had challenged.  While both elves tended to be more than a little reckless when it came to hunting orc, both knew that sometimes a strategic retreat was better than staying in a hopeless fight.  Thus, when their foes had gained unlooked-for support, they had fled up the valley to this narrow canyon.  It was a crack too slender for the orcs to follow them.  The soft sandstone the canyon walls were formed from made for difficult climbing, and they nearly thought they would be trapped.  Finally, Elrohir, through a stint of will, luck, and a few well-placed handholds that crumbled under his weight, made it to the top of the canyon.  Instantly he began working to help his brother.

"No sign.  If they still meant to follow us, they would have to backtrack for miles and miles to find a useable path.  This soft stone circles the entire rift, I think, and if it would barely support our weight, I doubt it would even begin to support theirs.  Besides, I do not believe they still hunt us. This sun is too hot for their ilk." Elrohir reassured his twin as he pulled against his tether to reach down a few more inches.  He could feel the fragile stone beginning to crumble under his weight, and heard the loose stones bounce and rebound off the canyon walls to the muddy bottom far below.  He hoped that it, and his anchor, would hold until they were both free.  

"You are almost there – jump and catch my hand!" Elrohir urged again.  Elladan, his faced streaked with dust and sweat, a perfect match to his brother's grimy appearance, stared up at Elrohir for a moment, judging the distance.  If he missed, he would have to bear a short and painful flight back to the bottom of the ravine, and there was no guarantee that he would be able to climb this far again.  Then he nodded.  Carefully balancing in the holds he had already found, he tensed in preparation for the jump.  Then he sprang upwards, launching himself in an all-out attempt to gain freedom.  He grabbed Elrohir's outstretched hand with both of his own, but nearly let go when Elrohir cried out in pain and grimaced.

"Elrohir! What is wrong?" he demanded as he braced his feet against the rock wall to help lever himself out of the canyon.  He was alarmed when Elrohir's hand only weakly grasped his own.

"I am well, hold on." Elrohir ordered tersely, his words belied by his own pained tone.  Despite what he felt, slowly and surely the younger twin hauled his brother to safety. The canyon wall collapsed further, but the boulder and their tether held, preventing them from tumbling into the canyon again.  Both retreated with due haste, finally coming to rest a few yards away from the crevasse.  Elladan fell to his knees in the tall grass, catching his breath.  Next to him, Elrohir sat down fully, slumping a bit.  That last effort had taken a lot out of the younger twin.  It was not long before Elladan recovered and started eying his brother curiously.  There was still that odd behavior back at the canyon rim to explain.  Elrohir did not look up to meet his brother's intense gaze, and that worried Elladan.  He did not make any comment as he studied his twin, noting the way he used one arm to support himself, the weary fall of his shoulders…  his grey eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Elrohir, there looks to be something wrong with your shoulder.  Shall I have a look?" he asked sweetly.  He knew something was wrong when Elrohir instantly shook his head, scooting away a bit.  He still was not using that arm, Elladan noted.  In addition, when they were well, neither of the twins had a problem with others checking them for injuries.  It was only when they were truly hurt that they became defensive.  Thus, his brother's behavior made him even more determined to find out what was going on.  

"Elrohir…" he called warningly as he moved closer.  Unconsciously he moved as if he were stalking his brother, which was close enough to the truth.  Elrohir froze instinctively, drawing himself a little closer.  

"I told you, I am fine." he complained quietly.  Perhaps he complained a little too quietly for Elladan's taste.  Elrohir was hardly ever subdued, especially after a fight.  Acting on a hunch, Elladan suddenly reached out and tapped the arm Elrohir had used to pull him out of the canyon, hitting him right below the shoulder.  Elrohir visibly winced and shied away, pulling that arm closer to him.  

"Leave me be, 'Dan." A definite warning tone, but Elladan was undeterred.  He stared at his brother's turned back, and for a moment silence reigned in that small part of Eregion.  Then the elder twin pounced, careful to pin his brother by his uninjured shoulder.  Elrohir yelped in surprise and attempted to free himself, but eventually surrendered, leaving Elladan to perch triumphantly on his chest.  

"You're injured." Elladan blandly informed his brother.  "Now, shall I cut your tunic off, or will you leave off this idiotic childish behavior and take the tunic off yourself?" Elrohir looked offended at this, but then ruefully smiled.  

"I will take it off.  Elbereth, but you sounded like ada just then." He teased as his brother shifted off him.  In retaliation, Elladan cuffed his brother lightly, which made Elrohir laugh.  The younger twin pushed himself into a sitting position and began to awkwardly undo the ties of his tunic with one hand.  The hand on his uninjured side, Elladan noted uneasily.  Instead of commenting on it, he began to help his brother.  He became even more worried when Elrohir did not complain about this assistance.  Elladan knew the injury was bad when Elrohir tensed as soon as he began pulling the sleeve of the tunic off Elrohir's shoulder.  

"I am sorry." He murmured as he continued to tug at the fabric, slowly easing it off.  Elrohir did not reply, instead staring off into the distance. He used his good hand to clutch the ground to provide some support against the onslaught of pain.  Elladan hissed through his teeth once he got his brother's tunic off.  The shoulder was already swelling, the flesh surrounding it red and angry from the insult it had sustained.  Gently he ran his hands down the arm, checking at various points to make sure he could still feel a pulse.  His brother's hand was colder than it should have been, and when he asked Elrohir to make a fist, the fingers only closed halfway.  Now he understood his brother's sudden pained cry back at the cliff – when he had latched on to Elrohir's hand, his brother's shoulder had dislocated under the strain.  His heart clenched as guilt flooded through his mind, but he is very careful not to let it show on his face.  If their roles were reversed, he would not tolerate the same feelings from Elrohir.  Nevertheless, he was the older brother, and he should have realized this would happen.

"Elrohir… you know I have to re-set this.  I cannot leave it as it is." He said quietly, truly sorry that he cannot just bandage it and have it wait until they could ride home.  Ada could do this with much greater ease, and give more comfort, than he ever could.  Elrohir just nodded, still staring off into the distance.  Elladan understood – treating another's injuries was one thing, watching someone put you back together was a completely different matter.  Permission asked for and received, he carefully considered the problem before him.  It was a long ride back to Imladris, thus, the less trauma he could put his brother through, the better.  If he wasn't careful, he could crack one of Elrohir's ribs… a dangerous prospect when one was far from home.  Cracked ribs were more easily broken, and broken ribs could pierce a lung…  Elladan shook his head, refusing to think of such things.  Sometimes his active imagination got the better of him.  It would not do to have this be one of those times.  

Cautiously and as gently as he could he probed Elrohir's shoulder, trying to see exactly how the bone was set now.  He could tell his brother was trying to relax under his ministrations, but was not having much success.  He wished vainly for something to dull the pain, or to help his brother relax, but their medical kits were with his horse… and that brute was still on the other side of the canyon.  Why Elrohir's horse had the good sense to come when called and his horse did not was a mystery he planned to solve when this was over.  He would not stand for such disobedience, especially when his, or more importantly, his brother's chances of survival might be hampered by such folly.  He was cheered somewhat when he realized the joint was only disjoined by a few inches… he could feel the end of the arm bone pushing against the socket, unable to reset itself due to the swelling.  He had feared the two disjointed ends would be torn completely asunder.  Such an injury might have taken more strength than he possessed.  He was sure he could correct this injury as it was, provided his attempt did not make it worse.

"Brace yourself." He warned shortly, grasping the arm tightly just above the elbow, holding the shoulder still with his other hand.  Elrohir grew still under his hands, and his brother's eyes closed in anticipation of pain.  With one sudden, powerful jerk, Elladan pulled the arm out and back, guiding the bone back together with his fingers.  

Elrohir did not cry out, but his face lost all color, and he slumped against his brother.  His breaths came light and fast, and he looked as if he were about to lose consciousness.  Gently Elladan probed Elrohir's injured shoulder again, making sure it was set correctly.  Once he was sure, he shifted to sit behind his brother and pulled Elrohir back to lean against his chest.  

"Breathe, Elrohir, deep breaths, don't you dare leave me alone out here with this atrocious horse of yours." He chided softly, running a soothing hand down Elrohir's uninjured arm.  Elrohir nodded, and after a few minutes, his breathing slowed to something approximating a normal rate.  Elladan felt as if a great weight was lifted off him when his brother replied.

"He is not atrocious, he is spirited.  Beside that, he cannot be too bad if he came when called, when yours did not." Elrohir retorted quietly, and Elladan chuckled.  

"Let us go find that dull-witted horse of mine.  I'll walk, I still don't trust your horse." He grinned as Elrohir pulled away from him and sat up under his own power.  Carefully Elladan tightly bound Elrohir's arm using the discarded tunic, securing it for the long ride home.  Then, without another look at the canyon that caused them so much trouble, Elrohir mounted his grey charger and the twins started their journey back to the hidden haven of Imladris.


End file.
